Diamond Island Community Hall

The community center is located on the Diamond Island – a newly emerging centre of Ho Chi Minh City. To make the best use of the empty space in the gradually developing residential area, this multifunctional community centre was designed not only for local residents, but also for the tourists traveling by boats the city center. Eight large and small bamboo pavilions were scattered throughout a park filled with rich vegetation. These buildings were to be in service of various events such as parties, banquets, promotional conferences and potentionally restaurants.

Inspired by the traditional bamboo henhouse, two large pure bamboo were constructed with the impressive measurements of 24 m in diameter and 12.5 m in height. The large basket required professional bamboo builders to weave each piece of bamboo on site . Six smaller bamboo pavilions were shaped like an oversized umbrellas, with 11 m in diameter and 7 m in height. The umbrella structures consist of twelve prefabricated structural units aiming at efficiency of construction.

The large pavilions were double-layered dome structures. The outer roof layer of thatch overhangs the inner basket-like structure to create deep eaves, sheltering the space underneath harsh sunlight and heavy rainfall. Regardless of the shrouding shape of the roof, the interior space needs no artificial lighting for daytime activities as a skylight and open periphery provide defused daylight. The skylight also helps discharging hot air the top of the dome as the cool river breeze cooled surrounding ponds flows through the building.
Despite the application of several traditional construction methods, the project’s aim was not to reproduce the vernacular, but to create sustainable architecture suitable for the present. In order to do this, systematization of production and construction of bamboo architecture is essential and, as a result, the project is a fusion of traditional folk art and contemporary building methods.